The Mentalist – The ghosts I've called
by Water-please
Summary: A confused and angry Lisbon, combined with a stunned-by-a-pink-dress Jane spells disaster. Set between/during 6x20 Il Tavolo Bianco and 6x21 Black Hearts, inspired by the heartache and the promo pics. Disclaimer: Nothing's mine.
1. Chapter 1

**The Mentalist – The ghosts I've called**

Romance/Drama

_Rating T_

Summary: A confused and angry Lisbon, combined with a stunned-by-a-pink-dress Jane spells disaster.

Set between/during 6x20 Il Tavolo Bianco and 6x21 Black Hearts, inspired by the heartache and the promo pics.

* * *

Teresa Lisbon was trying to keep a clear head. Desperately.

Having left her apartment in quite the hurry, she was now talking a walk in a nearby park in Austin, Texas, the gentle breeze whispering between the leaves of a late summer evening.

The task she was trying to do - deciding what to do - turned out to be nearly impossible.

Not when she'd just been proposed to.

By the perfect man, no less.

So why was she walking in a park trying to clear her head, instead of joyously celebrating her engagement, with her brand-new fiancé?

Because she'd asked for time to think, to clear her head. This was what she was trying to do. And when she returned, she would have to have an answer for him.

But what –

"Lisbon?"

Teresa looked up, startled out of her deep thoughts. This was one person she would not have expected strolling in the park at this hour.

"Hey, good evening." A smiling Kim Fischer came towards her, wrapped in a light coat, brown hair flowing freely over her shoulders.

"Hey Kim. Nice to meet you here." Lisbon forced herself to smile at her. She meant what she said, but as usual, she was terrible at hiding her thoughts.

Fischer smiled back, but her smile quickly turned into a frown. "You okay?" She asked tentatively.

"Oh, I'm fine. Great!" Lisbon tried to maintain a bright expression, and failed utterly.

Kim paused, unsure if their budding friendship allowed prodding questions already. She simply tilted her head, and continued to look questioningly at Lisbon.

"Marcus proposed." Lisbon blurted out. She'd surprised herself there, normally a very private person, not used to share her personal issues. Much less with someone she had to consider a superior.

"Con-gratulations?" Fischer gave the polite reply, but not able to avoid her voice to rise at the end of the word.

Lisbon let out a soft "Thank you", tone flat, and not meeting the other agent's eyes. Instead, she looked towards the path between the trees, as an animal would looking for an escape route.

"Look, Teresa." Fischer tried to put the woman before her at ease. "I know it's none of my business, and we haven't known each other for long. But let's forget for a minute that we work together, and just be two people, perhaps friends even, taking a walk, talking. If you'd like, that is."

Lisbon pondered her situation, clearly torn between acting professional, and having the rare need to share some of her thoughts.

After a minute, she nodded curtly, and grateful, and motioned to Fischer to accompany her along the way.

Fischer got in step with Lisbon, letting her gather her thoughts before speaking.

"You know, I know I should be insanely happy." Lisbon began. "Marcus is a great guy, and I really…" She broke off.

Fischer just nodded, letting Teresa set the pace.

Frustrated with her inability to put her turmoil into words, Lisbon began again, running a hand through her hair. "It could all be so easy, if it weren't for… -" She broke off again, only to continue with a decidedly angry tone: "I hate complicated relationships. That's why I seldom engage in one."

"I hear ya. Men, huh?" Fischer smiled lopsidedly at her, reminded of other equally weird examples of the male species who had been spooked into taking flight as soon as they'd learned about their positions within the FBI.

"You can say that again." A still agitated Teresa Lisbon ground that out between clenched teeth. "I mean, if I only knew for certain what he means half of the time, this would be so much easier!" Digging her hands deep in her pockets, she let out a frustrated huff.

Fischer wasn't sure they were speaking of the same man. "Well, a proposal is quite straightforward, no?" She asked carefully.

Lisbon looked at her, confused. She hadn't really noticed how quickly her thoughts had shifted to one certain blonde consultant.

"What? No, not Marcus. Jane." She sighed. "He was at my door the other night."

"Oh?" prodded Fischer on, gently.

"Yes, he had some cannoli with him, from that restaurant Abbott ordered us to inspect. Claimed he just wanted to drop these off, and there was 'enough for Marcus, too'. Hah! As if he was interested in feeding Marcus, of all people, with this deliciousness!" Lisbon rolled her eyes at the memory of seeing Jane lying so badly for the first time ever.

"So – you called him on it?"

"Of course I did. I asked him point blank what he did this time of night at my door. And do you know what he said?" Lisbon couldn't quite contain her irritation.

Fischer shook her head, not wanting to interrupt Lisbon's rant.

"That he thought about my leaving, and that it was important to him that I was happy. No." She quickly corrected herself. "That **_I did_** what makes me happy. That this would be the most important thing in his life. Can you believe that?!"

Fuming, she turned to Fischer, who shot her a quick glance, but wisely said nothing.

Not waiting further for her to respond, Lisbon went on venting about Jane. She by far wasn't finished. Not now, when there was so much to be said.

"And this Airstream of his. What kind of a home is that anyway? It's a tin can on wheels, that's what it is. It's so typical for him, instead of a real home, he lives in a trailer, which allows him to hit the road anytime he feels the need to. And who am I to know when the next time will be?!"

Fischer refrained from pointing out that the minute Jane would saunter away, Abbot would put a BOLO on the trailer, which in itself wasn't hard to miss. But she didn't think that was the point, here.

"So you think he'll leave some day?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Lisbon threw her hands in the air agitated to point of hitting someone. Fischer discreetly took a tiny step to the side. "He still doesn't tell me anything, although I explicitly asked him to. I asked him to stop meddling in my affairs, to stop making decisions for me, and made sure he knows how pissed off I was that he ran away again when we were investigating the missing accountant. Not to mention that his schemes **still** don't include me knowing about them, as always. Instead, he chose precisely this time to listen to what he's been told by Abbott and left me in the dark. And you, of course." Lisbon quickly added. "You haven't known about the _con_, either – oh, the **_sting_**! So sorry!" Lisbon was fuming.

Fischer had troubles to follow Lisbon's quick succession of issues she had with Jane, the cases they've worked on, and what bothered Lisbon about the circumstances. One thing was apparent for her, though.

"So, basically, Jane does what you asked of him lately." At the angry line showing on Lisbon's forehead, she quickly added: "Well, he most certainly does not meddle in your affairs, now, does he?" That's what Abbott's doing right now, she added to herself. "Typical case of 'The Ghosts I Have Called', if you ask me."

"Are you telling me this is my fault?!" Lisbon stopped walking and clenched her fists. Fischer raised her empty hands in a peaceful and calming gesture - or so she hoped. "Easy there, Lisbon! Just stating my thoughts here." If the woman treated all arguments she had like a fight, Fischer no longer wondered why Jane avoided talking to her directly. He would be in severe danger of having his head bitten off.

A noncommittal sound left Lisbon's mouth, turning around to the path again, her eyes darting about the beautiful scenery without taking in anything about her.

Fischer knew she treaded on dangerous territory. "I mean," Fischer went on explaining, carefully choosing her words, "Jane let you know that the ball's in your court now, when he told you to do what makes you happy. At least, that's how I would understand it."

Lisbon put her hands in her pockets, slouched deeper in her jacket, and ground out: "Fine. For some part, he does what I asked. (I wished he didn't.) But what does it mean?"

Fischer studied Lisbon's face for a moment, and wondered fleetingly why even the most clairvoyant investigators could be so blind, when they were concerned themselves.

"You mean you don't know?" She asked for clarification.

"Know what?" Lisbon shot back, at the end of her already paper-thin patience.

"That Jane is head over heels with you." Fischer said simply.

Lisbon whirled around so fast, Fischer feared for a moment it might give her whiplash. "What?!"

Fischer gave a small laugh. "Sure he is. He might try to put on his mask when you're around, but especially lately, everyone can see how miserable he is." Since she was with Pike, to be precise. But Fischer didn't want to stress this point.

Lisbon let out an incredulous huff. "No, he isn't. He never told me how he feels. And if he does, he takes it back soon after, or leaves me stranded at some beach."

Fischer did a double take, not sure if she heard right. "Jane told you he loved you?"

"Once, yes, before he shot me." At the startled look on Fischer's face, Lisbon nearly had to laugh. Quite the roller coaster of emotions she was going through lately. "It was a con (or sting?) to catch Red John. Long story. Point is, he took it back when I asked him about it, and instead went and had sex with his archenemy's mistress." This wasn't quite the precise course of events, but Lisbon had found out about Lorelei afterwards, so for her, it was a betrayal that happened after he said what he claimed to have forgotten later.

Fischer took a minute to digest that. "Well, he left me stranded once, too. But not after declaring his feelings for me and - well."

"And he even didn't look at me in my dress."

Still pondering about the question what she would do if someone did that to her, Fischer almost missed Lisbon's words. They had been spoken softly, like a young, sad maiden, disappointed about not having caught the eye of her big crush.

"You mean the case with the art thieves?" Fischer inquired. "Of course he looked at you. He picked out that dress especially for you. And believe me, _you_ might not have caught him looking down your cleavage, but I certainly did. Abbott, and Cho did, too. Cho's face was priceless!" Fischer smiled broadly at the memory of the silent exchange between the two men. Cho had had the air of an older brother, indignant and reprimanding, whereas Jane had just grinned, and shrugged his shoulders in a 'What did you expect me to do?' gesture.

Lisbon's heart picked up speed at the thought of Jane checking her out. Why didn't he show her what he felt? "Violets." She murmured.

"Hmm?" Fischer didn't quite catch that.

"Oh, nothing. Just something he said to the art thief when we were in his car, hatching a plan to steal that painting. It probably means nothing. He didn't even talk directly to me at that time."

"Jane's the master of indirect messages, isn't he?" Fischer mused.

"Well, his wedding ring states a message loud and clear." Lisbon stated dryly, and not only a tiny bit bitter.

"And now you're thinking of putting one on your finger, too. Don't you?"

Lisbon looked at the woman before her, coming back from a far away place. It took her a moment to comprehend what her colleague was talking about. "Oh. Yes. Of course. Marcus."

"Yes?" This word bore some significance in this context. "So you'll accept?" Fischer studied Lisbon's face carefully.

*beep beep beep*

*beep beep beep*

Simultaneously, both their mobiles started ringing. Cho and Abbott, respectively. The women looked at each other.

"Saved by the bell, huh?" Fischer winked at Lisbon.

Sighing, Lisbon answered her phone to hear from Cho about their newest case.

- tbc -

* * *

A/N: Part of me dreads to know why Lisbon seems so supremely pissed in the promo pics, another part craves this knowledge. This is what I came up with. It's set between 6x20 and 6x21; Part 2 will deal with the promo pics.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Mentalist – The ghosts I've called**

Romance/Drama

Rating T

Summary: A confused and angry Lisbon, combined with a stunned-by-a-pink-dress Jane spells disaster.

Set between/during 6x20 Il Tavolo Bianco and 6x21 Black Hearts, inspired by the heartache and the promo pics.

* * *

Chapter 2

It had been a hell of a case.

Busting that organ dealer ring, and bringing down their charismatic leader had required the most elaborate scheme Jane's mastermind had to come up with yet, including Lisbon wearing an elegant pink dress, tightly fitting at her bosom, and flowing gracefully around her hips and legs. Lisbon felt it hadn't been exactly necessary for her to dress up that much (the matching golden sandals were hurting her feet awfully - she'd get to Jane for putting her in this ridiculous costume later), but what mattered was that in the end, they had succeeded to catch the criminal.

Sitting at a table with Cho and Jane in a fancy restaurant, Lisbon watched the criminal being put in handcuffs by Fischer. It was over.

"So, any plans for tonight?" Jane asked in a light tone, still bathing in the glory of the success of his plan (and stealing coveted glances towards the goddess at his table, clad in the gown he had known was perfect for her).

Lisbon visibly cringed. She did have plans, indeed. Telling Marcus "Yes" or "No" to his question. He deserved one, finally. She hadn't returned home the other night, going directly back to the office with Fischer due to the urgent call they both had received. In the end, the plan would have allowed some time to pass before they had to prepare for the con/sting/whatever, but she was secretly glad that she had an excuse not to face Marcus too soon.

"Yes, as a matter of fact." She replied to Jane's question, when she felt she could no longer avoid it. "I need to go home."

"Not in this dress, I hope." Jane drawled. "Marcus could get a heart attack." On second thought, go, he added in his mind. He was close to having one, the whole day long actually. When he had seen her coming towards him in that stunning pink dress, drop dead gorgeous and shining green eyes, his mouth had gone dry. He wanted to compliment her, telling her how beautiful she looked, how every man not throwing himself at her feet to give her his heart was an utter fool, and so much more.

But alas, he found that all coherent speech had left him, and soon, the moment had passed. Afterwards, he was glad, because he was sure that if he had said something in this moment upon seeing her, it would have been something very stupid like: 'I love you. Please give me a chance.', or literally getting on his knees before her. But he was sure his eyes had betrayed him. She could read him like no other.

Lisbon made a face at him, ignoring Cho, who was about to rise from the table and join in the "fun" of bringing down yet another criminal organization. And getting away from these lovey doves next to him.

"Oh, perhaps this is the perfect outfit for the occasion."

Lisbon suddenly decided then and there to provoke Jane, up to the point where he couldn't hide his true feelings toward her any longer.

"You know, this evening could be special for more than one reason." Lisbon baited Jane, knowing he couldn't resist asking for more information.

"Oh, a big day for you in private, too, huh?" Jane's smile was at a 100 wattage, aiming to fool everyone. In former years, this would have worked. But not anymore. Not with her.

Cho was about to positively flee the scene, when Lisbon dropped the bomb and stunned both men.

"Yes, you're right." She replied with a sweet smile. "Because I owe Marcus an answer to his question: If I would marry him."

The shock on the faces of both men was palpable. For Jane, it felt as if he had been sucker punched.

"He proposed?" he croaked. Lisbon nodded.

_I'm going to _**lose** _her Oh My God she'll **accept** what do I do She's catholic she'll never get a divorce I'm too **late** I should have said _something_ I shouldn't have **left** her please **no**_

The thoughts in his head were a chaotic swirl, his memory palace crumbled. He was reeling and on the brink to vomit. He wanted to stand but found his legs were like jelly. He fought to take in a breath and said the first thing that came to mind.

"A marriage certificate is no guarantee he won't leave you as well."

Next thing he knew was that he was drenched in sparkling water Lisbon had just thrown into his face. Dripping with water and dumb from pain much deeper within, he saw her retreating figure, storming out of the restaurant with no glance right or left.

Jane still stared after her, when he sensed he was being talked to. Cho.

"JANE!" his friend barked, presumably repeatedly. Slowly, Jane turned his head to look to his right. Gristles, sinews and blood vessels seemed reluctant to obey his command, focused solely on the door through which the love his life had just disappeared.

When Cho looked into Jane's eyes, he saw the desolate state Jane was in clear as day. Still, it couldn't be helped. The situation required action. "Go after her." Cho ordered curtly.

Jane looked back at the door, nodded, and rose sluggishly from his chair. His whole body felt like lead.

I need to work out more. Pike surely is immensly athletic. I bet he is very capable of carrying Lisbon over the…- He forced himself to stop thinking along these lines. He needed to do something. What was that? Yes. Lisbon. Teresa. Go after her, he said. There's still time. She didn't say yes yet. I still can convince her. To be with me.

With that goal in mind, he put himself together, wiped absently at the water still running in his eyes, and rushed after her out of the room.

"LISBON! LISBON!" Jane hammered at her door, and trying the doorknob which proved to be yet another obstacle for his entering Lisbon's room.

"Go. Away. Jane.", replied an exasperated Lisbon, packing her bags willy-nilly, only wanting to leave this hotel as fast as possible.

"Please. Teresa." Jane all but begged. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

Lisbon didn't reply, but continued to stuff her things into the bag. She had quickly changed into some more sensible clothes, the pink dress lay crumbled in a corner, intended to be left behind.

Jane leaned his forehead against the door, closing his eyes and wishing not for the first time that he had real psychic powers, helping him find the right words to come through to Teresa.

"I know I screwed up big time, Lisbon." His hand caressed the hard wood of the door, imagining it was her skin. "I'm awfully sorry, and I want to apologize. Please open the door."

"There's nothing you can say, Jane." Replied Lisbon coldly. "You've made it clear what your opinion on the subject is. Don't expect an invitation to the wedding." She couldn't resist twisting the knife.

"Teresa." Jane whispered. "I – I know I shouldn't be saying anything. I tried. I tried to respect your wishes, I still do, but there's something you need to know before you take that step."

In this moment, he was determined to do everything in his power to win her over. If it concerned her, he wasn't a master with words. Gestures was how he communicated with her. Since he didn't have neither a pony, nor emeralds, nor violets nearby, he went with what he had and hoped for the best.

"Teresa, I have put something under your door. There's something I want to tell you, and this symbolizes it. If you're willing to hear me out, let me know. Please."

With that, he stood up, turned, and made for his room, to await his fate.

After a few steps, he found himself standing in front of Cho. The Korean nailed him down with a hard stare.

"Did you fix it?"

"Tried to." Jane didn't have the strength to reattach his usual mask, and let his friend see his misery on full display.

"Seems to have worked." Cho raised his chin, pointing behind Jane, motioning him to turn around.

In what felt like an eternity, Jane moved his body to see what was behind him.

The door to Lisbon's room stood open. She was standing in the door, holding something glittering between two fingers. So she had picked up what he left for her.

His wedding ring.

She didn't ask a single question out loud, but her eyes were filled with a million of them, and a tiny glimmer of hope. She tilted her beautiful head, pressed her lips together and waited for an explanation.

Slowly, step by step, Jane covered the distance between him and the wonderful woman before him.

When he was standing only a breath away, he stopped. "Thank you." He whispered.

Lisbon looked up, his wedding band still between them, like a barrier. "You gave me your ring to thank me?" Her voice had an aggressive edge to it.

"No." He quickly said. "I said 'thank you' because you are still willing to talk to me."

"I am." Lisbon stated curtly. "Now talk."

Jane stared at her, at this incredible, striking, strong woman before him, and was again at a loss for words. Everything that came to mind felt inadequate and insufficient.

"Can't we go inside for a moment?" He stalled, he knew, but they were drawing some attention to them already, and her doorstep wasn't exactly the best spot to host the declaration he prepared himself for. Either way, he didn't want any spectators.

Lisbon looked at him with a piercing stare, but seemed to agree with him for the need to have some privacy.

She turned around abruptly, taking his ring in her fist and welcoming the slight pain it caused from clenching her hands a little too much.

When she was in the middle of her room, she dropped her head and stood still, back turned to Jane, hands balled into fists at her sides.

"Talk."

Jane took her in, having followed her into the room only a few steps, the door at his back. "Can you please look at me, Teresa?" He demanded softly.

Lisbon whipped around, wanting him to end his games once and for all, and making demands. "NOW, Jane. I'm tired of waiting." Her eyes were flashing with anger, frustration, and on the verge of tears.

Jane felt his heart leap out of his chest for this woman. Saint Teresa, his savior, his lifeline. There was no living soul on this earth who knew him so well. And loved him all the same. Who was strong, much stronger than him, with the purest of hearts. Which he broke on more than one occasion. To claim her for himself, broken, with nothing to offer, was ludicrous. But he had to try. The alternative did not bear thinking about.

"Teresa, I know I don't deserve this." Jane began with a low voice. "And I also know that I should have spoken sooner. There's nothing more important to me than your happiness."

"You've already said that!" Lisbon interrupted him harshly. Would she ever get a straightforward answer from him?

"I love you."

.

.

.

.

Now it was Lisbon's turn to feel sucker punched. "What?" she managed to force out, not having an ounce of breath left.

"I love you." Jane repeated. He found that the more often he said it, the easier it got. This was uncommon ground, but he was a fast learner.

Lisbon seemed to have more difficulties to adjust to this new turn of events. "Yeah. Sure." She spat. "Why are you saying this? Need a new mobile phone, by any chance? Or are you hyped up right now, and claim to forget everything you've said?" The anger and hurt was apparent in her eyes, and Jane cursed himself for making her doubt every word he said. That's why he preferred gestures, he thought wryly.

Jane took a step toward her, drawn by an irresistible power to her glorious form. Not that he had any intention of resisting. "No. I love you, and won't lie to you to have forgotten, or leave you behind. Ever again. Teresa, I'm sorry for what I've done to you. It was horrible, and cruel, and I should feel lucky that you even talk to me still." Jane took a breath, which Lisbon used to hurl her attack towards him.

"Damn right! You should be groveling and kiss my feet for all this time I've excused you, shielded you, and took the flame and burn upon myself to protect you. Why was I making such a fool of myself, for you? Can you tell me that?!"

During the tornado of her words, she had approached him, and with every sentence, she shoved him hard with both hands towards the door, as if to shove him out her life once and for all. She even had put his ring inside his hand during her speech. The metal felt hot against his hand, hot as the anger she was directing at him.

"Because you love me, too."

Teresa stared at him, all force having left her body, all defenses down.

"Yes."

Upon hearing this single word, Jane propelled towards Lisbon, took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Feeling his lips on hers caused Lisbon's stomach do a back flip. She sneaked her hands up his chest, stroking the soft curls of his neck. _Finally_.

All too soon, the kiss ended. When Jane pulled back to blink at her (and to make sure not be kneed in the groin), Lisbon grabbed his lapels and pulled him roughly to her, kissing him hard.

Jane slung his arms around Lisbon, and while teasingly parting her lips with his tongue, he shut the door with his foot.

She was his.

**The End.  
**

* * *

**A/N: Usually, I'd see Lisbon as someone profoundly moral, who wouldn't string along someone that way. In this case, I let her be indecisive towards Marcus as long as possible, because her answer was clear the moment she left her apartment to "think". As for Pike: Letting someone go after this kind of question is an answer in itself, both ways.**

**And even if Jane would have rejected her (for whatever dumbass reason), I still would have her break up with Pike. Having your thoughts be consumed that much by another man like this makes it impossible to say "yes" to another, in my opinion.**

**Please review and let me know what you think (constructive criticism always welcome). This story isn't beta'ed, so all mistakes are mine.**

**I'd be glad to be beta'ed, by the way, so if you're willing to put up with my crap, please leave me a note.**


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